By Bryson Luff

Despite having to face another long trip home from Gulgong’s Billy Dunn
Oval, the Cobar Roosters would have been well pleased with their
additional luggage on the return journey, that luggage being the Boronia
Challenge Cup which came into their possession following their 30
points to 12 defeat of the Gulgong Terriers in round 2 of the Christie and
Hood Castlereagh League competition.

The visitors handed the Terriers, the reigning Castlereagh premiers, their
first loss since 2022, and in doing so have reinforced the notion of many
that they (the Roosters) are the early season favourites for the 2024
premiership honours.

The Chookies sit on top of the competition ladder on six points, along
with the other two undefeated sides, the Coolah ‘Roos and the
Coonabarabran Unicorns who both registered hard-fought wins against
Coonamble and Baradine respectively.

In both games the winners were the visiting side and had to fight hard to
come away with the competition points, the ‘Roos continuing their
impressive start to the season with a 14 to 6 win over the Bears and the
Unicorns just getting home in a tough local derby against the Magpies
12 points to six.

In the other game, the Narromine Jets hosted the Gilgandra Panthers
with both teams coming off big losses in round 1 and it was to be the
Jets who prevailed in a see-sawing game that saw the scores locked
together on three occasions, winning 32 to 22 after the Panthers had led
18 to 12 fifteen minutes into the second half.

Turning to round 3 of the competition, Cobar’s first defence of the
Boronia Cup will be against the young and enthusiastic Baradine
Magpies who, whilst winless at this early stage of the competition, have
lost both their games by a combined total of just ten points and no doubt
they would like nothing better than to knock the Roosters off their home
perch.

Cobar would be ill advised to take them lightly.

Match of the round status has been conferred on the Coolah versus
Coonabarabran game to be played at Coolah, where both sides will be
very keen to finish the 80 minutes with their unbeaten record intact.
Should make for interesting viewing with a big crowd expected to
witness the action at what has been a happy hunting ground for the
‘Roos thus far this year.

The Narromine Jets will be covering a bit of ground this Saturday, firstly
when their Youth League and league tag sides head to The Crater at

Binnaway to match it with the Bombshells , those games scheduled to
kick off at 10.00am, which will then allow the Jet’s faithful time to get to
Coonamble to watch their first grade side play the Bears in what is a
crucial game for both teams.

Coonamble will host Dunedoo in league tag prior to the first-grade game.
The final game will see the Gilgandra Panthers trying to break their
season duck against the visiting Gulgong Terriers in Gilgandra.

Christie and Hood Castlereagh League Round 2 scores

Youth League

Gulgong 22 (Bobby Pascoe, Kayden Whiley, Mason Hammond, Ricky
Constable tries, Caiden Horton 3 goals) defeated Cobar 16 (Tommy
Bryan, Frazer Toropo, Nathan Kelly, Oisin McMullen tries).

League Tag

Dunedoo 34 (Shelley Cox, Chelsea Gallagher, Emma Meyers, Hayley
Berg, Paige Thompson, Tiffany Murphy tries, Geogia Price 5 goals)
defeated Binnaway 0.
Baradine 62 (Savannah Carey 3, Jalika Leslie 2, Abby Thompson,
Chelsea Woodham, Stephanie Dewson, Jorja Carey, Emily Murray,
Suzzanah Carey, Ada Craig tries, Jorja Carey 5, Craig 2 goals) defeated
Coonabarabran 0.
Gulgong 18 (Tayissa Lucas, Ella Hawkins, Matilda Harper tries, Laurissa
Tumpey 3 goals) defeated Cobar 4 (Neve Carter try).

Narromine 52 (Rebecca Smythe 3, Lucy Dawson 2, Millah Phillips, Emily
Edwards, Lajwana Carney, Emily Fardell tries, Shian Chatfield 8 goals)
defeated Gilgandra 0.

Coolah 38 (Jasmine Thomson 2, Molly Burgess 2, Jacinta Dummett,
Fiona Whitbourne-Martin, Channy Burgess tries, Thompson 3 goals)
defeated Coonamble 12 (Shakaye Walker 2, Imogen Pawley tries).

Competition Ladder; Narromine 6, Baradine 6, Dunedoo 6, Coolah 6,
Coonamble 4, Gulgong 4, Cobar 2, Gilgandra 2, Binnaway 2,
Coonabarabran 2.

First Grade
Coonabarabran 12 (Shannon Doole 2 tries, Brad Fuller 2 goals)
defeated Baradine 6 (Luke Hamilton-Forbes try and goal).

Coolah 14 (Jack Piper, Justin Mogg, Chanse Burgess tries, Hugh
Wesley goal) defeated Coonamble 6 (Adam Picken try, Mitch Nalder
goal).

Cobar 30 (Loma Atua 2, Nathan McAndrews, Jed Noonan, Tim Hillam,
Tadgh McMullen tries, Thamas Plater 3 goals) defeated Gulgong 12
(Mitch McWhirter, Joey Annetts tries, Brad James 2 goals)

Narromine 32 (Epeli Draunidalo, Tyler Beer, Washington Itoya, Doug
Potter, Ryan Richardson, Luke Thompson, Cooper Anning tries, Potter 2
goals) defeated Gilgandra 22 (Jarrod Fuller, Wade Peachey, Chris Fuller,
Craig Simson, Michael Louie tries, Ty Sutherland goal).

Competition ladder; Cobar 6, Coolah 6, Coonabarabran 6, Gulgong 4,
Narromine 4, Baradine 2, Coonamble 2, Gilgandra 2.

Round 3 games – Saturday 11 May
Binnaway V Narromine (Youth League and League Tag – first game at
10.00am)
Coonamble V Dunedoo (League Tag)
Coonamble V Narromine (First Grade)
Gilgandra V Gulgong
Coolah V Coonabarabran
Cobar v Baradine (Boronia Cup Challenge)

Cover Photo courtesy of Peter Sherwood Photography.